


After Party

by AnIdiotWithNapalm



Category: Birdman (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25996123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnIdiotWithNapalm/pseuds/AnIdiotWithNapalm
Summary: The play went off with a success and nothing could've gone better!The problems only start coming when Riggan trys some formalities on his least favourite coworker and some secrets are uncovered
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

"hey riggan!" I hear someone shout, I'm currently outside the theatre that has my face on nearly every inch of the building, it's no wonder someone recognised me, but rather than it be a rabid fan it was Daniel, he looked really worn out and I was afraid he'd die in front of me.  
"everyone was wondering where you were!", he says it like I should know what he meant, he soon picked up on my confusion and elaborated, "we're having a party to celebrate the show", I got the picture, I let Daniel lead me back to the studio and for a second I completely forgot why I left in a hurry, and then I saw him.

I hate Mike shiner I hate Mike shiner I hate Mike shiner, the mantra continued to run through my head like a broken record, I wanted to strangle that bastard, the bastard who thought it would be fun to come into my show, my production and make a mockery of my work, I wanted Mike Shiner to disappear. Technically I have the power to make him go away but what good would that do? My dear daughter has formed a relationship with him and God knows the news would be littered with the esteemed actors disappearance and I would just become a footnote, besides, I'm fairly certain half of the audience on most nights are his rabid fan girls who want him to have their babies.

I come towards a buffet table where everyone has gathered like geese, I try not to bear my eyes into shiner because I know that something bad will happen to him if I do, he'll develop a migraine so severe he wouldn't be able to stand, a convient stage light will drop on his head and injure him, or maybe the ceiling will simply collapse above him and kill him instantly, I didn't know the extent of my powers and I knew that I should keep a lid on them. But this man before me turns my blood to acid with a glance. "sorry I missed the beginning of the party, I forgot we were doing this" I lie, everyone looks up in confirmation and immediately forgets what I said, turning back to their food and conversations, I didn't expect my apology to stand out because why should it? Who cares about a sentence that leads nowhere?  
*  
The evening lasts longer than probably anyone wants it to, but social etiquette demands we stay until someone else does, damn catch 22. I've made my way through a few technicians, stage hands and fellow actors, all of which don't really have much to say but speak like a Shakespeareian protagonist nonetheless. I've made a note of avoiding shiner but I've also made a note of keeping track of his activities, for most of the party he has been in deep conversation with the same two people, lesley and Laura for what feels like all night, I decide I may as well accept the fact that at one point I am going to have to acknowledge and speak to that godforsaken man. Be it tomorrow or some other dreadful day.

I try to look nonchalant as I stroll towards him, plastering a smile on my face that I do not have confidence in myself to hold up for long. as if by design the two girls wander away and it's just me and shiner feeling almost alone with each other. "so what do you what?" he says In a way that makes it seem like he already knows, "just here to say you were great tonight and I appreciate your involvement" I say, I must sound like a fucking robot, that's is the most cliche thing to say to someone you passively hate, and I don't passively hate him, I activity dispise him and he better damn well know it.   
"that's great, I was about to tell you the same thing", that. with a malicious grin. is where I lost it.   
I hadn't spoken to him all night and he immediately insults me, the fold out legs on the cheap buffet table collapse sending alcohol and food everywhere while simultaneously some nearby fairy lights spark out causing a flame to ignite in the middle of the room, the actresses shriek and everyone starts shouting "FIRE!" and I realise how stupid I am, I grab the fire extinguisher from the stage hand and quickly try to put it out but it seems persistent, so while everyone is too rattled to think, I use my abilities to put it out myself and as quickly as the fire started a small chuckle fills the room, the chuckle of people who aren't amused but rather have had so much adrenaline pumped into them that it's either laugh or cry, and with that I leave.  
Im humilated in front of an empty crowd and decide I would much rather be at home on my own, I hear frantic footsets come up behind me and I'm almost knocked over by a hand steadying itself on my shoulder, I turn to see Mike shiner and almost punch him "what do you want?" I say in the way a grumpy child would, "look I just wanted to say that it was me being an ass, you shouldn't blame yourself for the fire" I backtrack quickly, he knew I started the fire! This innocent sentence nearly sends me on my ass "how the fuck do you know I did that!?" I say In a whispered shout, but mostly a shout. He looks a bit sorry at that statement, as if he recently found out my aunt got cancer and didn't want to let me know. "look I guess I have to tell someone but just know I would never voluntarily tell you" he says before pausing for an affirmative, I nod and he continues. "I can, sorta read people's minds" he says before wincing.  
I instinctively hit him


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The full picture isn't a metaphor.

Despite my profuse apologising for the hit I'm actually very glad I hit him, because I've always wanted to punch him and I finally got the chance and took it.

I brought Mike into the threate and set him on a chair in the lobby, he's currently holding a tissue to his bloody nose, my head is rocking with questions and I cant stop my mind from racing, I look up to see Mike looking at me intently and I realise that he can probably tell exactly what I'm thinking which makes me even more panicked. "what the fuck do you mean you can read minds?" I practically shout at him, no one else is in the building except the cleaner who is currently in another room, "it's like I said, I can read minds" he says matter of factly in a strange nasal voice brought on by the swollen nose "do you remember how I magically knew the lines to your play?". That sentence hit me like a truck, "you said that you'd been helping Lesley get off book for a month" I say, In a futile effort to make sense of this conversation. "no, Les got annoyed with me so she didn't even let me in the same room while she was doing it". I can tell he's telling the truth, which I hate. 

"why did you lie In the first place?" "Shit man I don't know I just wanted to show off but then I realised what I was telling you and.. I don't know" he genuinely looked sad, like a gay teenager who had come out to his parents expecting a beating, "so... You know, about me? About my abilities I mean?" I say hesitantly to the sad bastard before me who has somehow gained my sympathy through little to no effort (the prick), "yeah, I knew from the beginning but I didn't want to say anything because i... Didn't want to freak you out and it got to the point where it just didn't seem to be a good idea to tell you" and with that he rose to his feet, nose caked in dried blood and headed towards the door, I was about to tell him to stop so we could finish the conversation that I felt needed to happen, but as soon as I prepared to call for him he turned around and said "look, we can talk about this later, I'm really not in the mood to tell you everything you want to know, maybe tomorrow" he did a half step out the door before continuing "by the way don't try to lie to me about the whereabouts of the cast & crew cake, who do you think ate your slice as well?" and with a smirk he quickly ran.

I sat down on the chair where he once was and pondered, I knew I had these miraculous abilities. and I thought no one else in the world could even come close to compare, but now I know someone like shiner has similar abilities. I sat in the lobby for what felt like centuries and thought with a half smile, what if there were more like me?

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for Shiner having psychic powers when me and my sister watched the film and thought it would be cool if his whole "getting off book" excuse was bullshit


End file.
